During the tour you will find out a lot about
the rich history of Minsk,
you will walk along quiet, secluded small streets of the old city,
which unexpectedly will lead you out to the wide modern avenues. You will find
out why the city with a thousand-year history is called a young city. You will
plunge into the coziness of public gardens and parks. You will also find out
what price Minsk
has paid during the Great Patriotic War. You will visit the historical centre
of the city: Independence Avenue, Independence Square
where the House of Government and St. Simon and Helen Church (also known as the
RedChurch)
is situated, Victory Square,
Y. Kupala Park, the Isle of Tears, Troitskoye Predmestye (Trinity Suburb),
Cathedral of Holy Spirit, City Hall, the UpperTown.
The route covers main streets and squares of the capital.

-Check
in.

-Lunch

Strochitsy

The museum is
situated in a suburban area of Minsk,
four kilometers to the northwest from the capital, between the villages Ozertso
and Strochitsa. The waters of silent Ptich and historically known river Menka
incorporate here. Monuments of national architecture from different historical
and ethnographic areas of Belarus
are located in a cozy environment. Here, near an ancient settlement, the
History and Culture have united in order to create a new, museum life…

The
scientifically-proved structure of its exposition is based on division of
material culture of Belorussian people into districts according to which the
territory of the republic is divided into the following regions: Pooziorje
(Lake District), Podneprovje (Dnieper District), the Central Belarus, East and
Western Polesie, Ponemonje (Neman District). The sectors "Mestechko"
(a small town-like settlement) and "Unique monuments" are separately
provided. Each region is represented by a fragment of typical settlement of the
19th - early 20th century with traditional building (utility
structure and cult buildings, manors and yards, industrial buildings,
small forms and memorial monuments).

-Hotel

Day 2

-Breakfast
at the hotel

-Check
out

Thorny
way of the King

This
excursion-animation tells about the founder ofThe Grand Duchy ofLithuania, the first and the last king of Lithuania - Mindovg. During the excursion you will trace the
course of life of King Mindovg since his appearance on a political
arena till his death through the conspirators fault.

The excursion program
begins with the MirCastle, which is a symbol
of the Belarusian Middle Ages. The castle, which was erected at the very
beginning of the 16th century by magnates Iljiniches, by the end of the century
passed under guardianship of Radziwills. Nikolai Kristof Radziwill nicknamed
Sirotka (orphan), who as a young man travelled through half of Europe and also
visited Egypt and Palestine, decides to
reconstruct the castle to his mind. That is how a castle complex was formed in
small town of Mir,
which combines peculiarities of the Gothic style and the style of the
Renaissance.

Lyubcha had a good
luck because for many centuries it had serious
guardians. Prince Mindovg himself was the owner of this town in the 13th
century. Then Lyubcha belonged to Hreptoviches, Gashtolds, Kishkas, Radziwills.
In the 80's of the 16th century the Lithuanian hetman Jan Kishka erects on the
bank of Neman a 4-tower castle, the separate
fragments of which have remained till nowadays.

In the same place the
first part of the animation program will be held where the boyars of Novogrudok
(tourists) will carry on negotiations with Mindovg and invite him to a throne
of Novogrudok. If the parties manage to agree – the further way lies from
Lyubcha in legendary Novogrudok.

- Departure to Novogrudok

- Lunch

Novogrudok is one of the most
ancient towns on the territory
of Belarus. The first
documentary mention of the town dates back to the 11th century. By
the 12th century the settlement consisted of a fortress on the Castle Rock, a
fortified district on the territory of the neighboring upland (the SmallCastle)
and a trading quarter. Novogrudok was the residence of the princes of The Grand Duchy ofLithuania and the large trading-craft centre. Apart from
the ruins of the 13th century castle there is also a church in the
city, which is of the same age with the MirCastle,
and also a Farny Roman-Catholic church, erected by Grand prince Vitovt. Right
here the Polish king Jagajlo got married in church to his last wife Sofia of
Golshany and right here Adam Mickiewicz was christened.

The reconstruction of the crowning
of Mindovg of 1253 will be held in the castle. Tourists have an opportunity to
learn medieval dances, become witnesses of thrilling knight tournaments as well as to
carry a gown and subjects of royal power to the king. In the end of the program
in Novogrudok the visitors will become witnesses of the attack on Mindovg by
the conspirators. The program "Way of king Mindovg" ends with a small
fire show.

Take part in the crowning of the first king of Lithuania and find out why the first Lithuanian
king was crowned in Belarus.
We will tell and show you the whole way of King Mindovg in the history of Belarus.